Office Paper

Reducing your paper use and purchasing paper with recycled content can help to save precious resources, and reduce UBC's carbon offset costs.

Producing paper is very resource intensive and requires a lot of energy, water, and raw materials. As per provincial legislation, UBC must buy carbon offsets for all office paper purchased.

When purchasing office paper through UBC's preferred paper supplier (Staples Professional), choose paper with a minimum of 30 per cent post-consumer recycled (PCR) content, or alternative fibre paper. 

Furniture

There are several environmentally friendly ways to obtain furniture for your UBC office or building.

Before purchasing new furniture, check Reuse-it! UBC to purchase used furniture from other UBC departments at no or low cost.

Electronics

Producing, using, and disposing of electronics has a significant environmental footprint. 

Reduce your environmental impact by purchasing new electronics and computing equipment only when necessary, and choosing reused or refurbished options whenever possible.

Drinking Water and Filtration Systems

Metro Vancouver's world-class tap water is not only tasty, but it is also safe, clean, and tested more frequently than bottled water.

Bottled water may be convenient, but it is not environmentally friendly. It takes three litres of water and up to half a litre of oil to package one litre of bottled water. Millions of single-use plastic water bottles end up in our region’s landfills every year, where they can take over 1,000 years to decompose.

Cleaning Supplies

Sustainable cleaning supplies can help to provide healthy indoor environments and safe working conditions for staff, faculty members and students.

UBC's Green Cleaning Program, run by UBC Facilities, includes a comprehensive set of green cleaning and housekeeping initiatives that incorporate sustainability into Custodial Services’ daily operations.

Automotive

UBC follows automobile-restrained policies to reduce the number of automotive trips into and out of campus.

The University also measures, reports and is required to offset carbon emissions for campus-owned vehicles, as part of provincial legislation and UBC's Climate Action Plan.

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